Justin Baldoni accused of toxic positivity by former employees amid Blake Lively lawsuit: It felt phony

Former employees at Justin Baldoni’s company have accused him of performing “toxic positivity” and “evangelizing” his Bahai faith in the workplace.The claims were published on Wednesday by The Los Angeles Times in a profile on the embattled “It Ends With Us” star, who also directed and produced the film that is at the heart of his legal fight with co-star Blake Lively over allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.One person who worked at Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, told the outlet that Baldoni’s bright demeanor felt insincere.“It was constant positivity all the time — I would say toxic positivity,” the ex-employee said.

“I’m always a little dubious of people who advertise themselves as disruptors of the status quo or quote-unquote ‘good people.’ It felt phony.”However, other Wayfarer vets had positive impressions from their experience at the company.“He is highly creative and in tune with his spiritual side,” Baldoni’s former personal and executive assistant Melissa Ames told the LA Times.“He has a heart for helping others.

Working at Wayfarer was one of the best times of my life.”Before the “It Ends With Us” scandal, Baldoni built a personal brand based on self-betterment.The actor co-founded the Skid Row Carnival of Love in 2014, an event aimed at supporting the unhoused in Los Angeles.In 2021, he released “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity,” a book that challenges traditional ideas of masculinity and started a podcast under the same name.A spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer responded to the allegations, telling The Post, “There have never been any reported complaints regarding the workplace culture, or any communicated issues regarding the platforms of its founders.”“If any guidance was ever provided to employees of how to conduct their written correspondence, it was to ensure that the activities of its employees remained professional and aligned with the ethos of the c...